An upcoming lengthy homestand is surely a welcome sight for the Buffalo Sabres, but they're probably less than happy to see who is rolling into town first.

The Eastern Conference-leading Sabres (36-15-4) open on Wednesday a season-high six-game homestand with their meeting against the division-rival Ottawa Senators, who have won four straight against Buffalo.

Ottawa's Dany Heatley has five goals in five games against Buffalo this season.
(Don Heupel/Associated Press)

Ottawa (30-21-3) trails Buffalo by 13 points in the Northeast, but has outscored the Sabres 17-7 in their last four meetings.

Special teams have keyed the run, with the Senators converting a sizzling 39.1 per cent (9 of 23) of their power-play opportunities while limiting the Sabres to just two goals in 22 chances.

Leading scorer Dany Heatley (31 goals, 67 points) has saved some of his best play for the Sabres. The right winger boasts five goals and 12 points in five games against Buffalo, culminating in a hat trick and an assist in a 6-3 win on Jan. 3.

Apart from his one-assist performance in a 4-2 Ottawa win on Nov. 15, Heatley has recorded at least two points in each game against the Sabres this season.

Sens in tight playoff race

Ray Emery has also sparkled, going 4-0-0 with a 1.75 goals-against average this season versus Buffalo. The second-year goalie is 8-1-1 all-time against the Sabres, and can match the 23 wins he recorded last season with a victory Wednesday night.

Emery is coming off a 3-2 shootout loss Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs. After falling behind 2-0, his team rallied with third-period goals by Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Comrie before the Leafs' John Pohl, the ninth shooter, beat Emery for the winner.

Ottawa, which has been idle since, is tied with the surging Pittsburgh Penguins for fifth place in the East, but sits just three points ahead of ninth-place Toronto.

The Sabres scored a 4-3 shootout win — just their fifth victory in 12 games — Tuesday night at Atlanta to remain four points ahead of the second-place New Jersey Devils.

Daniel Briere scored a pair of goals and added another in the shootout, while Ryan Miller made 27 saves.

Miller, though, has lost five of his last six games against Ottawa while posting an ugly 3.53 GAA. That raises the possibility that backup Martin Biron (5-2-0 in his last eight starts versus the Senators) could get the nod from coach Lindy Ruff on Wednesday.

With files from the Associated Press